"With a vigorous pounding and thumping, a large and determined woodpecker was making sawdust of trees in the 2300 block of Montana St. today.

"The bird began his depredations Sunday in the yard of the F.J. Rivas home, 2301 Montana St.

"Mrs. Rivas called for police. She said she fears the bird will destroy her trees.

" 'He's been at them constantly since Sunday and the sap is flowing off them like water,' she said.

"Ornithologists pointed out that the bird is a native of the Middle West and has no business down in the Southwest.

" 'He probably got lost in a dust storm and hasn't realized yet that he isn't back home in Indiana,' said J.B. McGinley, city sanitary inspector.

" 'We ought to capture him and mail him back home."

"The 'chip-on-the-shoulder' attitude of the woodpecker was holding two radio patrolmen at bay. The officers, armed with a .22 rifle, a butterfly net, some salt and the advice of the department, were dispatched to the Rivas home with orders to 'get him.'

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Radio Patrolmen Harold Cashman and A.G. Duchene agreed to make the call to Mrs. Rivas' home after an argument with Dispatcher John Rapp.

" 'See here, there's no telling what is likely to happen if we go out there and the bird sees us,' Mr. Cashman complained.

"Mr. Rapp reminded him of his duty to the public.

" 'Oh, all right, we'll go,' Mr Cashman said. And pulling his cap down tightly over his ears, he started in quest of the woodpecker.

"But the bird was wary. Whenever Mr. Cashman leveled the rifle at him, the woodpecker dodged around the tree, leaving Mr. Cashman looking over his sights at the blank trunk of the tree.

"Finally tiring of the game of hide and go seek, the woodpecker swooped down in the direction of the policemen, who ducked their heads and ran for cover.

"The butterfly net proved of little value as the officers were unable to get far enough off the ground and close enough to the bird to bring it into play.

"After a half-hour struggle with the woodpecker, the officers gave up."

The Times followed up the next day with news from Park Commissioner Hugo Meyer that the bird was actually a sapsucker and not woodpecker:

" 'However, there's not enough difference between the species to argue about,' he said.

"Radio Patrolman Harold Cashman, outwitted by the bird yesterday when he attempted to shoot it, said today that he is going back and 'settle things up.'

" 'No bird is going to make me look foolish,' he declared. 'I'll show him a thing or two.'

"Meanwhile, the bird paid no attention to the plotters seeking his life but went ahead beating a staccato rhythm on the trees at the F.J. Rivas home, 2301 Montana St.